Electrically-operated dial mechanism.



R. C. LANPHIER 6L 0. WHITE.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DIAL MECHANISM.

7 APPLICATION FILEID JULY 1, 1912. 11. 183 Patented May 16, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.74J766'0 rks m m1 A R. C. LANPHIER & 0. WHITE.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DIAL MECHANISM.

APELICATION men JULY 1. 1912.

1 183 3 Patented May 16, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

41' 40 fl wwf mi? 7% h l JZQS. 34 E m 32 R. C. LANPHBEFI & 0. WHITE. ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DIAL MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY]. 1912.

Patented May 16, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 1

R. C. LANPHIER & 0. WHITE.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DIAL MECHANISM.

APPLIICATION FILED JULY-1.1312.

1 1 @3 3@ & Patented May 16, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

inane s raws ATENT more.

ROBERT C. LANPI-IIEZR AND OTIS WHITE, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIG'NOBS T0 SANGRJVIO ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELE'QTRICALLY-OPERATED DIAL MECHANISM.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBERT C. Lanrnmn and OTIS \Vnrrn, citizens of the l nited States, residing at Springfield, in the County. of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Operated Dial Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings. ()ur invention relates to mechanism for indicating the consumption of electrical energy, and it has more particularly to do with what may be termed distant dial mechanism, that is to say, dial indicating or registering devices, the operation of which is controlled from a more or less distant point. e

It has for its objects to provide new and improved mechanism for electrically actuating the registering devices from any suitable controller; to provide improved actuating mechanism for the registering devices capable of operating in either a forward or a reverse direction, so that the registering mechanism may be employed toregister the charge, as wellas the discharge, of a storage battery; and to provide improved means for controlling the operation of such registering devices by an electricity meter of the type in which the direction of rotation of the meter will be reversed upon the reversal of the current, and in which the meter may be made to operate at a different rate when the battery is being charged from that at which it operates when the battery is discharging. We accomplish these objects as illustrated in the drawings and as hereinafter described.

What we regard as new is set forth in the claims. o

a In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the several circuits, in connection with the principal parts of the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dial mechanism, the front or dial face being downward, and the back plate being removed; Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the dial mechanism looking in opposite directions; Fig. 5 is a vertical sec tion on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

is a horizontal section on line 77 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the dial mechanism, some parts being in section; Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail, being'a plan view of the switch mechanism shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail, being a vertical section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail, being apartial horizontal section on line 11-11 of Fig. .5 illustrating the construction of the swinging arm which directly actuates the registering devices; and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail, bemg a side elevation of certain parts shown .in Fig. 4.

the type in which the direction of rotation of the armature is reversed upon reversal of the current, and its rate of operation is at the same time varied. The current for operating the dial-actuating device is supplied by a storage battery, which also supplies current to a translating device, such as a motor, and is connected up with the meter so that the output of the battery is measured. The battery is also arranged to be connected with mains leading from a generator, or other source of current, so that the charge. of the battery may be renewed when necessary, and the apparatus is so constructed and arranged that when the battery is being charged the dial actuating mechanism reverses its operation and moves the hand or indicator in a reverse direction over the face of the dial. An automatic cutout is provided in the generator circuit, which automatically cuts off the generator current when the indicator hand returns to its zero or neutral position, which occurs when the battery has been fully charged.

Referring now to the drawmg for a more Patented May 16, 19165.

1 Application filed July 1, 1912. Serial Ila-707,065.

detailed description of the embodiment of our invention therein illustrated,'1-fi indicates the armature, and 15 the armature shaft of a mercury motor meter which is provided with a differential shunt 13, so that it may be caused to operate in different directions at different rates, substantially as shown and described in Letters Patent No. 958,508, to Robert C. Lanphier, dated May 17, 1910.

13--13"13 and 13 indicate four contact blocks of the shunt 13, as shown in Fig. 1.

14-1A" indicate terminals at opposite sides of the armature 1-1 for leading the current into and out of the usual mercury chamber in which the armature 14: rotates.

18 indicates the storage. battery from which the current which operates the dial mechanism is supplied.

18 indicates a wire leading from the battery 18 to the contact block 13 of the shunt 13, and 18 indicates a wire leading from said contact block and connected, in the illustration given in Fig. 1, with contact 14, by a wire 14.

11 indicates a wire leading frointhe meter contact ll" to contact; block 13 of the shunt 13.

18 indicates a wire leading from the other terminal of the storage battery 18 to a wire 28, which connects with a contact 28*, adapted to be engaged by a switch arm 28", said arm being connected by a wire 28, with a translating device 19.

27 indicates a wire connecting said translating device with contact block 13. of the shunt 18.

AB indicate line wires leading to a generator or other suitable source of current supply,

As shown in Fig. 1, the wire B connects with the wire 18, and through it with one terminal of the storage battery 18. The wire A connects through a cut-out switch 7 9 with a wire 79, which leads to the contact block 13 of the shunt 13. Any suitable form of cut-out switch may be employed, and we wish it, therefore, to be understood, that the particular switch shown, which will be hereinafter more particularly described in connection with the devices for actuating it, is not a part of our present invention.

It will be apparent to those familiar with the art that when the cut-out switch 79 is open and the battery is discharging, current will be supplied to the translating device 19, and the meter armature 14 will consequently rotate. At this time, of course, the switch 28 will be closed. When, however, the cutout switch is closed and the switch 28* is opened, current will be supplied from the generator circuit to the battery, so that it will be recharged. This will actuate the the usual way, said hand being mounted on a shaft 67, suitably journaled between plates 31-31, suitably supported and spaced apart by a series of pillars 32 and 43, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1, the principal operating parts being arranged between said plates, so that they are partially inclosed and protected by them.

60 indicates a star-wheel mounted on a shaft 61, which is parallel with the shaft 67, and is connected with it by a suitable train of gears, such as a pinion 65, which meshes I with a gear 66, carried by a shaft 66, which also carries a pinion 66*, best shown in Fig. 5. The pinion 66 meshes with a gear 67 mounted on the shaft 67, as also shown in Fig. 5. Thus it will be apparent that the rotation of the star-wheel 60 causes the indicator hand to swing over the face of the dial. The driving train through which the indicator hand is driven from the star-wheel 60 is, of course, properly calibrated, so that a given movement of the star-wheel registers the proper indication on the dial.

62 indicates a spring detent, which is mounted on one of the pillars 32, and bears upon the teeth of the star-wheel 60, as shown in Fig. 2, said detent being bent to form a lug at its free end, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to insure a more positive engagement between it and the teeth of the star-wheel 60.

The star-wheel 60 is given an intermittent rotary movement in one direction or the other, depending upon whether the battery 18 is being charged or is discharging, by means of a swinging arm 38, which carries pawls adapted to engage the teeth of the star-Wheel and effect its rotation when the said arm swings in one direction or the other from its central or neutral position. The construction of this swinging arm 38 is best shown in F igs. 5, 7 and 11. As best shown in Fig. 11, the arm 88 is composed of two parallel plates fixedly secured together, as by'rivets or pins 44, so that they are spaced a short distance apart, as best shown in Fig. 5. At its opposite side margins the arm 38 is provided with armatures 40-41, which cooperate with electro-magnets hereinafter described, to effect the rocking of said arm. As shown in Figs. 5 and 7 said arm is mounted upon a pivot 39 journaled between the plates 31-31, in such manner that its free end lies adjacent to the star-wheel 60, its side plates being respectively at opposite sides of said star-wheel, as best shown in Fig. 5. 33-34 indicate electro-magnets suitably mounted at opposite sides of the arm 38, their poles lying opposite the armatures 40-41, respectively, as shown in Fig. 7. When in its central or neutral position the arm 38 stands in the position shown in Fig. 7, so that the armatures 40-41 are equally distant from the poles of the electro-magnets 33-34. Said arm is normally held in this positionv by a spring 42, the ends of which bear against opposite pillars 43, as shown in Fig. 7, the intermediate portion of said spring bearing on two pins 44, arranged adjacent to the shaft 39, as shown in Fig. 11. By this arrangement when the arm 38 is swung to either side of its central position by the energizing of one or the other of the electro-magnets 33-34, one of the other of the pins 44 acts to place the spring 42- under tension, so that said spring operates to re store the arm to its central position when the actuating magnet is denergized.

45-46 indicate pawls in the form of belh crank levers which are pivotally mounted be tween the two members of the arm 38, adjacent to-the free end of said arm, upon pivots 47-48, as shown in Fig. 11. Preferably, each of these pawls is composed of two simi lar members spaced apart and connected by their pivots and by pins in the end portions of said pawls. The pawl 45, for instance, is provided with pins 49-51, and the pawl 46 with pins 50-52. The pins 51-52 project at one side of their respective pawls into holes 53-54 in the arm 38, as'shown in Fig. 11, and operate to limit the extent to which said pawls may rock upon their respective pivots 47-48. The pins 49-50 of said pawls are adapted to engage the teeth of the star-wheel 60 to rotate said wheel in one direction or the other, depending on the direction in which the arm 38 swings, as illustrated in Fig. 7. V

55 indicates a spring, which connects the pins 51-52 of the pawls 45-46 and serves to draw the. inner ends of said pawls together, in the position shown in Fig. 11. At this time said pins 51-52 bear on the inner margins of the holes-53-54 and prevent the outer ends of said pawls from moving outwardly. They may, of course, move in wardly to an extent limited by the size of the openings 53-54. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that if, for instance, the magnet 33 is energized, the arm 38 will move to the left, and the pin 50 carried by pawl 46 will accordingly engage the adjacent tooth of the star-wheel 60 and rotate said wheel in a clockwise direction the space of one tooth. As soon as said magnet is deenergized, the arm 38 will return to its central position, the pawl 46 rocking upon its pivot so as to carry its outer end to the left and permit the pin 50 to slip over the adjacent tooth of the star-wheel, which, during this stage of the operation, is held against reverse rotation by the detent 62, and this operation is repeated for each ener gization of the magnet 33. In like manner, when the magnet 34 is energized, the pawl 45 acts to rotate the star-wheel in the opposite direction. (As, previously described, this I step-by-step rotation of the star-wheel 60 is communicated to. the indicating hand 68, so that the. proper indication is made. The mannerinwhich the proper circuits are estahlished to energize one or the other of the electro-magnets 33-454 will presently be de scribed a 56 indicates a contact-plate carried by the arm 38' adjacent to its pivot 39 and extending transversely, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 11. Said contact-plate is provided with contacts 56 -56 which are adapted to engage contacts 577 -57", respectively, carried by a contact-plate57, suitably secured in a fixed position adjacent to the contact-plate 56, as

shown inFigs. 7 and 11', the arrangement being such thatwhen the arm 38 is swung to the right, the contact 56 engages the con tact 57", and when said arm is swung to the left thecontact 56 engages the contact 57.

Referring now moreparticularly to Fig. 1,37 indicatesa wire which connects con tact plate 56 with wire 28, and 58 indicates a. wire which connects contact-plate 57 with an electro-magnet 59. The other terminal of said magnet is connected with the wire 18". 24 indicates a wire connecting one terminal of the electro-magnet 33 with a contact-plate 22, and 25 indicates a wire connecting one terminal of the magnet 34 with a contact plate 23. The contact plates 22-23 are placed opposite each other a suit able distance apart. for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth. 35 indicates a wire which connects the other terminal of magnet 33 with wire 37, and 36 indicates a wire connecting the other terminal magnet 34 with said wire 37, as shown in Fig. 1. 20 indicat-es a contact member which, in the illustration. is longitudinally movable, and is placed between the contact-plates 22-23 so that it may be moved into engagement with either of said contact-plates. Said contact member is connected by wire 26 with wire 18", as shown in Fig. 1. From the foregoing description it will be seen that by moving the contact member 20 to the left into engagement with the contact-plate 22, the electro-magnet 33 will be energized, the cirinto engagement with the cuit being as follows: from battery 18, over wires, 18, 18 and 2G to contact member 20; thence through contact-plate 22 and wire 24 to magnet 33, and thence by wires 35, 37. 28

and 18 to the opposite terminal of the bat tery. The magnet 35 being thus energized will attract the armature 10, causing the arm 38 to swing to the left and rotate the star-wheel (50 in a clockwise direction the space of one tooth, and this operation will be repeated whenever the contact member 20 is moved into engagement with the contact plate 22. A portion of the current will at the same time operate the meter so that the output of the battery is measured.

When the battery is to be recharged, switch 28 is opened and the battery is connected with the generator wires A-B. Current is then supplied to the battery, and passing through the diiferential shunt causes the meter armature 14 to rotate in the opposite direction and at a slower rate. The contact member 20 is thereby moved intermittently into contact with contact 23, thereby energizing magnet 34. This will cause the arm 38 to swing to the right, thereby rotating the star-wheel 60 in the opposite direction. It will also be noted that when the arm 38 swings to the left, bringing contact 56 into contact with contact 57, the circuit will be closed through,electro-magnet 59, as follows: from battery 18 over wires 18 and 18 to magnet 59; thence by wire 58 to contact-plate 57, and through contactplate 56 and wires 37, 28 and 18 back to the battery. The same result is produced when the arm 38 swings to the right. The function of the magnet 59 will be hereinafter set forth.

The movement of the contact member 20 contact-plates 22 and 23 is controlled by the meter through the following instrumentalities: 21 indicates a plate or disk mounted upon and secured to the contact member 20 as shown in Fig. 1. 17 indicates a spur-wheel, the teeth of which are adapted to engage the plate 20 in such manner that the rotation of said spur-wheel acts to shift the contact member 20 longitudinally in one direction or the other, de pending upon the direction of rotation of said spur-wheel. Said spur-wheel is connected through a suitable train of gears with a worm-wheel 16, which meshes with the worm 15 on the motor shaft 16; consequently the rotation of the motor shaft drives the spur-wheel 17 and operates to shift the contact member 20 into engagement with one or the other of the contactplates 22-23. The contact member 20 is provided with suitable mechanism for normally holding it in a neutral position, such, for example, as springs 20, mounted between brackets 2020, but any other suitable mechanism for the purpose may be employed. Suitable mechanism is also provided for disengaging the spur-wheel 17 from the plate 21 to permit the contact member to be restored to its neutral position, but such mechanism forms no part of our invention, and it is, therefore, not illustrated herein. Such mechanism, however, is fully shown and'described in Letters Patent No. 1,115,810, dated November 3, 1914, to Robert C. Lanphier and Carl Struck, which has been assigned to the assignee of this application. For present purposes it will be sufficient to say that the actuation of the mechanism for releasing the spur-wheel 17 from engagement with the plate 21 is effected by the magnet 59 which, when energized, operates to move the spur-wheel 17 out of engagement with said plate 21 and permit the restoration of the contact member 20 to its neutral position.

It has been explained that the dial indicating hand 68 is operated in a contra-clockwise direction when the battery is being charged, at which time the battery receives current from the mains A-B, and in order to disconnect the battery from the generator, or other source of current, when it has been fully charged, we employ the cut-out switch hereinbefore referred to and utilize the return of the indicating hand 68 to its zero position to actuate such switch to break the circuit from the generator to the battery. The preferred construction of cutout switch and the mechanism by which it is actuated will now be described: 71 indicates a rock-shaft which is preferably mounted in suitable bearings provided in the plate 81 and an intermediate plate 31, which may form a part of the frame of the totalizing dial mechanism, as illustrated in .Figs. 5 and 10. The rock-shaft 71 is provided with an arm 70, which projects over the face of the dial 30 adjacent to the zero point of said dial, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the arrangement being such that when the indicator hand (38 returns to the zero position it engages the arm 70'* and rocks the shaft 71. Said rock-shaft also carries an arm 72, shown in Figs. 9 and 10, which arm is provided with an insulating block 73, which normally rests against a stop 7 3.

74 indicates a spring switch having a contact 71* which normally rests on the insulating block 7 3, as shown in Fig. 9. The switch 74 is secured to an insulating block 7 5, which is carried by the plate 31", and is movable toward and from a contact 76, also carried by said block 75, the arrangement being such that when the rock-shaft 71 is rocked by the indicator hand 68, the arm 72 will swing so as to carry the Contact 74 into engagement with the contact 76. When released the switch 74 swings back to its normal position out of contact with the contact 76.

77 indicates a wire which connects the switch 74: with Wire 35, as shown in Fig. 1.

78 indicates a wire which connects the contact 76 with one terminal of an electromagnet 80, which operates the cut-out switch referred to, the other terminal of said magnet being connected with the line wire A by a wire 80*.

79 indicates themovable member of the cut-out switch which is connected with wire A and is movable into engagement with a contact 7 9 which connects with wire-79.

7 9 indicates a spring which normally holds the switch member 79 out of engage- I ment with contact 79.

7 9 indicates a latch lever pivoted at 7 9 and adapted to hold the switch member 79 in engagement with contact 79. A spring 7 9 serves to hold the lever 7 9 normally in operative position. The magnet 80, when energized, is arranged to act upon the lever 7 9.to disengage it from the switch member 79, thereby permitting the spring 79 to move said switch out of engagement with the contact 79*.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that whenthe indicator hand 68 rocks the rock-shaft 70 to move contact 74 into engagement with the contact 76, the circuit will be closed through electro-magnet 80, which will accordingly release the switch member 79 and break the circuit, the contact 79 thus cutting out the battery 18 from the main circuit. The specific construction of the cut-out switch has nothing to do with our present invention and any type of switch suitable for the purpose may be employed. The mechanism shown for energizing the electro-magnets 3334 and the mechanism for disengaging the spur-wheel 17 from the disk 21 also form no part of our invention, as such devices form the subjectmatter of the patent to Messrs. Lanphier and Struck hereinbefore referred to, and are included in our invention only in a generic sense.

While we have shown and described our improved apparatus as being controlled by a mercury motor meter, we wish it to be understood that our invention, in its broadest aspects, is not restricted to the use of a controller which is also a meter, as it includes any suitable means by which theactuation of the indicator or dial mechanism may be eflected periodically in the appropriate direction, in the manner described.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. The combination of an indicating device, electrically actuated means for operat ing said indicating device either forward or backward, and an electrically-operated controller for controlling the direction of movement of said indicating device, said controller comprising means governed by the direction of flow of the current for varying .the rate of operation of said indicating device.

2. The combination of an indicator, electrically-actuated means for operating said indicator either forward or backward, an electrically-operated controller governed by the direction of flow of the current, and means operated by said controller for actuating said indicator operating means to move the indicator in one direction or the other in conformity with the rate of operation ofsaid controller.

3. The combination of a reversible indicating device, an electricity meter of the type in which the direction of rotation of the meter is reversed upon reversal of the current, said meter being adapted to rotate faster in one direction than in the other under a given current flow, and electricallyoperated means actuated by said meter for eflfecting the movement of said indicating device in one direction or the other in c0nformity with the direction and rate of movement of the meter.

4. The combination of a reversible indicating device, an electricity meter of the type in which the direction and rate of rotation of the armature of the meter is determined by the direction of flow of current therethrough, means for actuating said indicating device in one direction or the other, electro-magnets for respectively operating said actuating means to move said indicating device forward and backward, and means controlled by the direction of rotation of the meter for energizing oneor the other of said electro-magnets.

5. The combination of a reversible indicating device, a reversible controller for controlling the direction of movement of said indicating device, a battery connected with said controller for actuating it in one direction, means whereby current may be supplied to said battery for charging the same and simultaneously actuating said controller in the opposite direction at a different rate for a given flow of current, and electrically-operated means governed by said controller for actuating said indicating device in one direction or the other.

6. The combination of a reversible indicating device, an electricity meter having an armature the direction and rate of rotation of which are controlled by the direction of flow of current through the meter, a storage battery connected with said meter for rotating said armature in one direction, means for supplying current to said storage battery and arranged to actuate the meter in the opposite direction at a different rate meter, for energizing one or the other of.v

said electro-magnets, a storage battery connected with said meter for actuating it in one direction, and means for supplying current to said storage battery and simultaneously actuating said meter in the opposite direction.

8. The combination of a reversible indieating device, means for moving said indieating device either forward or backward, an electrically-operated reversible controller, and a make and break device geared to said 7 controller and controlled by the direction of movement thereof for intermittently actuating said indicator-operating mechanism in one direction or the other.

9. The combination of a rotary indicating device, means for rotating said indicating device in one direction or the other, a reversible rotary controller governed by the direction of flow of current therethrough, and a make and break device geared to said controller and controlled by'the direction and rate of rotation thereof for intermittently actuating said indicator-moving mechanism to correspondingly rotate said indicating device.

10. The combination of a rotary indicating device, means for rotating said indicating device in one direction or the other, a rotary electricity meter, a storage battery connected with said meter for actuating it in one direction, means for supplying current to said storage battery and simultaneously rotating said meter in the opposite direction, and a swinging member governed by said meter for intermittently actuating said indicator-rotating mechanism to move said indicating device in conformity with the direction of rotation of said meter.

11. An indicating device, comprising a rotary member, a swinging arm adapted to swing in one direction or the other from its neutral position to correspondingly rot-ate said member, oppositely-disposed electromagnets for swinging said arm in opposite directions from its neutral position, means associated with said electro-magnets adapted to be actuated to energize one or the other of said magnets, and means operated by the movement of said swinging arm for auto-- matically deenergizing the actuating magnet to permit the return of said arm to its neutral position.

12. An indicating device, comprising a rotary member, a swinging arm adapted to swing in one direction or the other from its neutral position to correspondingly rotate said member, oppositely-disposed electro magnets for swinging said arm in opposite directions from its neutral position, a reversible electrically-operated controller, and means actuated by said controller and determined by the direction of rotation thereof for energizing one or the other of said electro-magnets.

13. An indicating device, comprising a rotary member, a swinging arm adapted to swing in one direction or the other from its neutral position to correspondingly rotate said member, oppositely-disposed electro-magnets for swinging said arm in opposite directions from its neutral position, a reversible electrically-operated controller, and a make and break device operated by said controller for energizing one or the other of said electro-magnets.

14. An indicating device, comprising a rotary member, a swinging arm adapted to swing in one direction or the other from its neutral position to correspondingly rotate said member, oppositely-disposed electro-. magnets for swinging said arm in opposite directions from its neutral position, an electricity meter the direction of rotation of the, armature of which is controlled by the direction of flow of current therethrough, and means actuated by said meter and controlled by the direction of rotation of the armature thereof for energizing one or the other of said electro-magnets.

15. An indicating device, comprising a rotary member, a swinging arm adapted to .swing in one direction or the other from its neutral position to correspondingly rotate said member, oppositely-disposed electrogmagnets folswinging said arm in opposite directions from its neutral position, a make and break device for energizing one or the other of said electro-magnets, an electricity meter the direction of rotation of the armature of which is determined by the direction of flow of current therethrough, and means operated by said meter for actuating said make and break device to intermittently close the circuit through one or the other of said electro-magnets, depending upon the direction of rotation of the meter.

16. An indicating device, comprising a r0-' m with said connecting saw me break devlce Whemby mad 

